Valley Leadership

Final call 🚨 Tomorrow is the last day to apply for Catalyze Class 6!

If you’ve been thinking about it, now’s the time to take the next step. Join a community of leaders across Arizona who are ready to connect, grow, and take action.

Apply by tomorrow 👉 https://vleads.org/cat6app

As we near the close of Explore Class 5, we want to take a moment to thank OneAZ Credit Union for their continued support of this one-of-a-kind program. 🌵

Their investment helps equip leaders across Arizona with the perspective, connections, and tools to take meaningful action on the issues that matter most. 👏

The deadline to apply for Catalyze Class 6 has been extended for one week until May 29th!

If you’ve been thinking about applying, this is your opportunity to take the next step. Join a community of leaders across Arizona who are Driven to Do and ready to turn ideas into action.

Submit your application by May 29th: https://vleads.org/cat6app

Valley Leadership Explore Class 5 spent an incredible day immersed in the history, culture, and innovation of the Gila River Indian Community. ✨

Our experience began at the Gila River MAR 5 Interpretive Trail, learning about the agricultural legacy of the Akimel O’otham and Pee-Posh peoples. 🌾 We were then joined by District 3 Council Representative Kristina Morago for a tour highlighting GRIC’s economic growth and forward-thinking sustainability projects, like the Solar Over Canal initiative. ☀️

We wrapped up the day at the Huhugam Heritage Center with Whalean Riggs and staff, connecting over a beautiful, traditional lunch by Ranch Mobile Eatery before touring the museum. 🍽️ GRIC is a powerful example of how honoring heritage and investing in community assets builds a vibrant future!

Read more about our experience 👇

Rooted in Heritage: Innovation and Tradition in the Gila River Indian Community - Valley Leadership™ Join Valley Leadership’s Explore Class 5 as we go behind the scenes to learn how local Buckeye leaders are balancing massive infrastructure innovation with a steadfast commitment to heritage, sustainability, and community connection.

Downtown Mesa offered Valley Leadership’s Explore Class 5 a powerful look at how history, culture, entrepreneurship, and community investment intersect to shape a city’s future.

Our class spent the day engaging with local leaders, innovators, and business owners across sectors. We explored everything from equitable development and cultural preservation to economic innovation at the ASU Mix Center and Mesa Arts Center.

The biggest takeaways? Adaptability and interconnectedness. Mesa proved that our communities thrive when we work together with a shared commitment to ensuring growth benefits everyone.

👉 Read the full recap of our day in Downtown Mesa on our blog below.

Rooted in Community: Exploring the Interconnected Future of Downtown Mesa - Valley Leadership™ Valley Leadership’s Explore Class 5 recent program day in Downtown Mesa offered a powerful look at how history, culture, entrepreneurship, and intentional community investment intersect.

Still thinking about Catalyze?

There’s still time to apply for Class 6.

Join a cohort of leaders who are ready to step up, build meaningful connections, and turn ideas into action across Arizona.

Apply by May 22nd https://vleads.org/cat6app

What a celebration! 🎉 Yesterday, the Valley Leadership Early Literacy Impact Maker Team marked the end of the semester by bringing together our cohort of alumni substitutes and our incredible school district partners.

The primary goal of Leaders for Literacy is to give Arizona teachers uninterrupted time out of the classroom so they can engage deeply in professional learning. By having our alumni step in to handle classroom management, teachers get the dedicated, worry-free focus required to complete vital Science of Reading training—a research-backed approach proven to improve reading outcomes for students.

We were joined by Dr. Quintin Boyce from ASU, who shared an inspiring yet grounded perspective on the state of education. He beautifully articulated that teachers are the architects of our future, but we do them a disservice when we label them as "superheroes" instead of providing them with real resources. To truly respect our educators, we must recognize their limitations, respect their boundaries, and build structures—like protected professional learning time—that allow them to thrive.

Want to join a community of leaders Driven to Do? No teaching experience is required, and we help you every step of the way. Commitment is just one half-day a month for four months (a minimum of one semester).

📧 Join our interest list to learn more about joining our next cohort!
https://valleyleadership.activehosted.com/f/3

How do we move from a bold vision to real-world impact? By breaking down silos. 🤝

Valley Leadership is piloting a new "just-in-time" collaboration model. We are matching the strategic vision of our Impact Teams with the technical expertise of recent graduates to solve complex problems in real-time.

From making civic engagement more accessible to engineering better systems for our literacy programs, we are proving that Arizona moves forward faster when we work together.

Check out our latest blog to see how this blueprint is shaping the future of "doing" in our state! 🌵✨

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Accelerating Innovation: A New Blueprint for Community-Powered Progress - Impact Maker Discover how Impact Maker AZ is bypassing traditional institutional silos to tap directly into Arizona's emerging talent, accelerating progress on our state’s most pressing challenges through a new model of "just-in-time" collaboration.